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Federal High Court grants FG’s request to reopen terrorism case against Bello Turji.
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Case involves alleged financiers of the notorious bandit leader.
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Court says application is in the interest of justice and national security
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Federal Government’s request to reopen a terrorism case against five individuals accused of providing material and logistical support to notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on Monday, approved the application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and ordered that the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/633/2024 be relisted on the court’s cause list.
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The judge held that the motion on notice, argued by government counsel, David Kaswe, was meritorious and deserving of approval, stressing that the matter touches on public safety and national security.
The case had earlier been struck out on July 8, 2025, following an oral application by defence lawyers who argued that the prosecution failed to diligently pursue the trial due to repeated absences of the lead counsel.
However, the Federal Government returned to court, urging it to revive the case in the interest of justice, noting that the prosecution had not exhausted the number of adjournments allowed under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
According to court records, the Federal Government filed an 11-count terrorism charge against eight defendants, including Bello Turji, who is currently at large.
Those listed as first to fifth defendants are Musa Muhammed Kamarawa, Abubakar Hashimu (alias Doctor), Bashir Abdullahi, Samuel Chinedu and Lucky Chukwuma, while Turji, alongside Aminu Muhammad and Sani Lawal, both also at large, were named as sixth to eighth defendants.
The suspects are accused of providing material services and logistical support to terrorist groups allegedly led by Turji and other violent actors operating across Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna states.
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Prosecutors alleged that the defendants supplied illicit drugs, food items, military and police uniforms, camouflage gear, boots, building materials and other logistics to terrorist camps located in forest hideouts.
In one of the counts, the prosecution claimed that Kamarawa, together with Aminu Muhammad and Sani Lawal, procured a military gun truck from Libya in 2021 at a cost of about ₦28.5 million and supplied it to a known terrorist leader to aid violent attacks.
The defendants were also accused of rendering medical care and shelter to Turji after he sustained gunshot injuries during an attack on a community in Zamfara State.
Justice Nwite, after reviewing submissions from both parties, ruled that the Federal Government had provided sufficient justification to relist the charge.
The case has now been adjourned to January 21, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
